


we don't know where we're going (but we know where we belong)

by succulentsofa



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Human, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Fluff, HAM SANDWICHES, Love Confessions, M&S, M/M, Percy Pigs, Valentine's Day, first work on ao3 woot woot, honestly idk what i'm doing tbf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29446116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/succulentsofa/pseuds/succulentsofa
Summary: Aiden doesn't have a date for Valentine's Day. Percy doesn't either, but it doesn't matter much - they're both too busy.Though... neither of them mind winding up together on a quiet February 14th morning.
Relationships: Alderheart/Puddleshine (Warriors)
Kudos: 7





	we don't know where we're going (but we know where we belong)

**Author's Note:**

> hullo hullo hullo!! this is a human au, set in a british hospital. alderheart is aiden in this, and puddleshine is percy. that's allllll thank you for reading :)

It was midnight, and the hospital lobby was unusually quiet.

Aiden didn't mind the quiet. It was nice, really, to have a change from the hustle-and-bustle of the day, from the usually loud corridors of the hospital.

Still… this quiet was unsettling. There wasn't a sound to be heard from people, just the screech of wheels dragging across smooth corridors, and the sounds of the traffic filtering through the walls of the building. The roads outside weren't too busy, the result of the lateness of the hour. Nobody was keen to leave their houses.

It was eerie, and it made him shiver.

He couldn't stay in that mindset for long. He was done with work for the night, finally, even if it had been a gruelling shift. His back ached, and he really needed to change his contacts - he'd been wearing them for hours.

He was considering putting on the pair of back-up glasses that he kept in his locker, but then Jay would probably make fun of him.

(He did have a point with his teasing. They looked like something his aunt would wear, and that wasn't a good thing.)

He pulled a ham sandwich out of his bag, wrapped in clingfilm, and blinked moodily at the unappetizing… he wasn't too sure what meal it would even qualify as. Technically, it had been his lunch, but his schedule had been too clogged to snag a chance to eat it. He was starving, and angry at his morning-self, for picking out such an unappealing sandwich.

Willow had called it a 'quiet day' when he'd gotten in that morning, which instantly cursed the rest of the day. Every single time that had happened, he could have sworn that every kind of accident in the world ended up occuring, and everyone and anyone ended up getting swept through the doors of the hospital.

He hadn't been able to sit down throughout the shift, constantly on his feet. And the cold plastic of the hospital lobby was hardly the best first resting spot… but he guessed it was better than nothing.

Taking a bite out of the sandwich - it tasted as bad as he was expecting - he looked around the lobby. Most of the shops that were usually open during the day were closed, shutters closed. The only open shop he could see was the M&S, inviting green lights twinkling in the pale yellow light of the lobby.

Someone crept out of the shop, looking around, and Aiden instinctively ducked his head, taking another bite out of his sandwich in an attempt to look inconspicuous.

The figure came closer, and he realised it was just Percy. Much easier to deal with than some random lost patient for the doctor side of him, but for the human side of him, the side that cared so deeply it hurt, vastly trickier to handle.

It was midnight, though, and he found he cared about keeping up appearances slightly less.

"Hey!" Percy called out, approaching the seating area that Aiden had found himself at, slouched over with exhaustion. "Whatcha got there?" He asked, taking a seat.

(Percy had way too much energy for midnight.)

Aiden half-heartedly held up his sandwich, too tired to fake enthusiasm. "A ham sandwich." He replied, lowering it to take another morose bite.

Percy looked at him with something akin to pity. "You don't like ham sandwiches."

Aiden sighed, pushing the sandwich away. "I know. It was the only thing in the house." He grumbled, flicking a stray crumb off his lap.

Percy raised an eyebrow, scooting closer to him on the bench. Aiden froze, tensed up, but didn't move. "You'd take ham over just… plain bread?"

"Who eats plain bread? I had to put something in it." Aiden said, his tenseness temporarily forgotten. He was on edge from the lateness of the night, and how busy his day had been. Whilst he knew that he harboured feelings for Percy that weren't quite suited or appropriate to a workplace environment, he could push them aside to make conversation.

But it was hard.

Percy looked up at him, taking something out of his M&S bag. "Why?" He asked.

"You just… have to." Aiden answered vaguely, debating if he should just chuck the sandwich in the bin.

Percy hummed distractedly.

"Mmm-hmmm… would you like some percy pigs?"

Aiden looked up at him, and at the bag he was holding. He'd never been more glad to see the bright pink wrapping of a percy pig bag. Aiden half-wanted to jibe about his name, like he usually did when Percy pulled out the (way too expensive, in his opinion) snack, but he was too tired and hungry to care.

"God, please."

A few minutes, and a bag of percy pigs later, Percy looked up again.

"How's your day been?" He asked lightly, biting his lip. Aiden was torn between finding it cute, or telling him off for the bad habit.

"Busy." He replied with a shrug, leaning back on the hard seat of the hospital chairs. "Seriously, don't think I've sat down yet today." He added with a small chuckle. He had, maybe, for a brief moment, before being pulled up again.

Percy was still looking at him, and he frowned, before he realised he'd forgotten to ask him how his day had been. "Oh, how's yours been?" He quickly said, leaning towards the other man slightly, hands folded in front of him.

"Ehhhhhh… much the same as yours." Percy told him, sinking into the same relaxed position. The fogginess and tiredness that enveloped them both was almost soothing, in a way.

Aiden blinked at him, trying to clear the sleep from his eyes.

God, he needed a nap.

"Glad to hear I'm not alone." He mumbled, a few heart-beats too late.

Percy hummed quietly in agreement, and the pair of them were silent for a while, Aiden making the most of his final percy pig.

Percy stood up, suddenly, without any warning, and Aiden blinked up at him. He was alarmed at why his friend had gotten up with such a start, so out of the blue. The anxious part of him - which was most of him - was concerned. What if something huge had happened? What if-

"Oh, it's midnight." Percy said, and Aiden's worries melted away.

"Yeahh… I should head home, soon." He commented softly, gathering up his things. He picked up the packaging that had scattered around them, and hopped off the seat to shove it in the bin.

He cringed placing the items inside - the bin was practically overflowing, stinking of coffee from the cafe that was situated next to it. He was usually thankful for the coffee, but not now. The scent was overpowering, and he whirled away from the bin, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Percy didn't seem to register his discomfort, staring off into space. Aiden looked at him curiously, anxiety gnawing at him again. He knew Percy well by now - knew him better than he knew most doctors at the hospital. After all, Percy had been one of his patients, so he'd developed a protective nature over the other man.

Which wasn't the… wasn't the best, giving the predicament of his feelings, but he felt like he'd always have the protective fire burning within him whatever.

"It's valentine's day today." Percy blurted, quite suddenly, and Aiden's gaze shot up.

"Oh, is it?" He asked, picking at his nails now he had nothing else to fiddle with. He'd usually bring a stress toy of some kind with him, something to occupy his hands so his mind didn't go into overdrive, but he'd completely forgotten.

Percy looked almost nervous. "Yeah." He replied shortly, mouth open like he'd wanted to say something more.

There was an awkward kind of silence, stretching out between them, only enhanced by the bustle of the far-off traffic outside. Aiden coughed quietly, just so there was something splitting the… the… he didn't know what it was. It felt like tension, really, but he couldn't pinpoint what kind.

It was just there, and the anticipation of waiting for something to happen was making his skin itch.

"Are you… uh… are you doing anything?" He asked awkwardly, when the silence had extended for too long, and the faintest pitter-patter of his trainers, tapping against the floor, sounded far too loud.

Percy looked curiously at him, blue gaze searching.

(His eyes… Aiden was no poet, but if he was, he'd write sonnets to Percy's eyes.)

"Nah… I've got the day off, but no one to spend it with." Percy eventually replied. Aiden could pick up a tone of… he wasn't sure. Bitterness? Regret?

Neither of them sounded good in Percy's usually gentle tone.

"Heh… same here." Aiden mumbled, thinking sadly of his apartment. There was a microwave Tesco own brand lasagna in the back of his fridge, and some chocolates he'd saved from Christmas. He was planning to get home, stick on some shitty, plotless rom-con, and eat half the lasagna. Nothing else. No grand plan for Valentine's Day

"I thought you were seeing that girl?" Percy asked.

Aiden had always been terrible at reading signals, at reading the hidden messages in people's words, but Percy sounded jealous.

He didn't think Percy had ever met Velvet, the girl that he was talking about, but he must have, because why else would he be jealous?

He chuckled nervously. Velvet had been… he'd thought about it, once or twice, but nothing serious. Just the idea of casual dates more than anything, nothing long term. Nothing he'd throw away his busy job for.

"Velvet? No, no, I mean… I thought, maybe… but uh… no. All alone today."

Percy looked relieved. Aiden didn't want to read too into that.

"Guess we can be lonely together." Percy commented, shuffling slightly closer to him, medical slacks squeaking against the cold plastic of the seats.

Aiden flinched at Percy's small movement, every nerve on edge from how damn tired he was. He felt ready to spring to his feet at any noise, instantly defensive even at the flickering of the store lights. "Y-yeah." He mumbled, looking at his hands, dark skin paled from being in surgical gloves all day. "Guess we can."

Percy looked at him, and Aiden realised quite suddenly that his perceived as benign answer hadn't been taken as such for Percy. He was staring at him, eyes blown wide, and a hopeful expression etched onto his face. "Um… I… really?" He asked, and Aiden took a few moments to savour his expression, before launching into panic mode.

What had he said? What could he have said to warrant that reaction?

"What?" He asked, looking blankly at Percy.

Percy stared at him, gaze equally as vaquant, before he started, eyes shooting wide.

"What?" Percy repeated back to him, seemingly managing to regain control of his voice.

Aiden swallowed, trying to land his words right. It was a tricky dance, trying to aim for something you were quite sure the two of you both wanted, but never being too sure if your hunch was right. He could be completely wrong. He could be completely wrong, and Percy could be straight, could be tied up in work.

It was very possible that he didn't want Aiden, which Aiden thought was the most likely option. Afterall, why would he? He was a bundle of anxious nerves, with very little time on his hands, and a mess of a family. "You want to-" He cut himself off, fingernails digging into the palms of his hands, before pressing on. "You said you'd be lonely with me. Like, do you want to come over or something?" He asked, biting his lip.

If anything, Percy's shock seemed to have heightened, just staring at Aiden,

He glanced up at Aiden, and oh, Aiden definitely thought he'd gotten something wrong."Um-" Percy looked down at his hands, and back at Aiden's hands, studying the calluses of his fingers. Aiden felt oddly self-conscious, but he didn't move."Like a… like a date?" Percy asked weakly.

Aiden swallowed.

This was it. He'd been sitting on these feelings for months now, keeping them below the surface, tucked away, but now…

Well, he'd never thought of this room as romantic, but it was now. The green light of the M&S bathed him, and he steeled himself, clearing his throat. He could… it was already all out in the open. He'd always written his emotions plain on his face, Percy must know.

"Yes." He whispered, voice somewhat desperate. "Like a date."

Percy's gaze shot away from Aiden's hands, fixating on the neon sign of the nearby coffee shop.

They had frappuccinos for £4.70, Aiden noticed dully. A rip-off, really, it'd be better just paying for Starbucks, but-

Oh, what was he thinking about? Why was he dwelling on the price of a cup of coffee, rather than the blunt question he'd just asked? Why couldn't his mind just be still, for once?

He shook his head, to clear away his racing thoughts, and turned back to Percy.

Percy looked like a deer caught in the headlights, eyes still wide, and expression panicked. He looked like he wanted to run, and Aiden did too. He wanted to get away from here, the scene of his midnight fuck-up, and pretend it had never happened. Pretend he still had a friend.

"Oh- erm, I didn't quite mean it like that-" Percy mumbled, and Aiden cut him off before he could feel the sting of rejection.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I'll just-" He stood up, and turned to leave, only pausing at a hand gripping his arm. He glanced down, seeing the small scars on the back of Percy's hand, where he'd gotten caught up in barbed wire. Tiny scrapes, almost faded from time, but…

But unquestionably Percy. Something that made up the fabric of who he was.

Just one more thing that made Aiden love him.

And that was probably where he'd fallen in love with him. Helping him from that barbed wire, heart in his mouth, praying he knew enough to free his friend.

His friend.

Because that was all they'd be, now. Because Aiden had slipped up, hadn't intended to give so much away, but he'd done it now, and he felt like things couldn't ever be the same.

He looked down at the hand clinging at him, and waited for the inevitable apology, for his feelings to be pushed away. Gently, because of course it'd be gently, but Percy wasn't one for beating around the bush. Which was something Aiden admired about him - how straight talking he was.

That was exactly why he'd assumed that his feelings weren't returned. Because Percy would surely just tell him, let him know.

"No, no, where are you going?" Percy asked, and Aiden went to reply, but he cut him off. "I still- I still… I want to mean it like that." He mumbled, and Aiden stopped trying to tug away from Percy's grip.

"Y-you do?" He asked, throat feeling dry.

"Yeah." Percy murmured. "I do. Just… not now, I need a shower, and I need some sleep, but… later today?" He asked, and Aiden turned to face him again. He hesitantly reached out his hand, grabbing his backpack up from the bench, and… and Percy didn't pull away when their hands brushed.

He was a fully grown man. He shouldn't be feeling butterflies in his stomach because of that.

But he was, and he was almost giddy with it.

"Yeah." He whispered, pulling his hand away gently. "Later. My place? I've got a lasagne for two."

Percy smiled at him, and for once, Aiden was quite looking forward to valentine's day.

"I'd love that." Percy replied quietly.

"Great." Aiden was somewhat breathless, and he found that he didn't really care. "It's a… it's a date."


End file.
